Homemade Eye Shadow and Blush

Homemade eye shadow and blush, or any homemade makeup can save you a TON of money. It’s more healthy for you, and it can be fun to make your own. I found the items I needed in my pantry, local vitamin store, or online.

Anything that you use on your skin should be tested first; especially anything you use on your face. As you know, the face on your skin can be a lot more sensitive than other parts of your body.

Test the ingredients on the inside of your wrist to see if you react, then try a small spot on your face.

I grew up in an area where Mica was everywhere! I used to collect varying colors of it….and as a kid, couldn’t figure out why I would break out in an itchy rash….so you never know.

Homemade Eye Shadow

This is probably the easiest thing to duplicate in the line of mineral or natural makeup. It’s so easy that I wonder why I never thought of it before!

Mix shades that you like and store them in 1 oz containers. Use a small brush instead of your fingers so that you do not spread bacteria, and keep track of your favorite mixes so you can replicate them later.

Colors

Browns

Use cocoa powder. Combine it with arrowroot powder (or organic cornstarch) to make it lighter.

Greens

Use Green clay or Spirulina combined with arrowroot powder for different shades.

Black/Grey

Use Activated Charcoal mixed with arrowroot powder.

Orange

Combine saffron and beetroot juice for a paste. You can also use turmeric, but be aware that it can stain the skin.

It’s safer than all the chemicals that people normally put near (or in) their eyes. Like I said, try the ingredients on your skin first (inside of wrist is sensitive). I have never heard of anyone having problems, except with mica..which surprisingly I can use around my eyes, but not anywhere else on my body.

Good question. A few ideas: dried purple sage crumbles into a fine soft powder, but would give you more of a gray/purple color, rather than purple. Though you could mix that with dried beet to help bring the purple out. Other dried purple flowers would work good as long as your can create a powder with them. Mica is an option, though you need to watch where you get it from and where a mask when mixing. You could also use natural food coloring made from fruit or veggie juice. I’m sure you could find some at natural food stores or online. This would make a paste that you can press into a compact and use a brush to apply.

Golden seal is an herb with good medicinal properties. Since your skin is an absorbing organ, keep that in mind with what you try. Golden seal is used for many things, including eye infections and is supposed to be good for your skin. Personally, I would use it, but I would try it on the inside of of my wrist to see if there is a reaction, then a cheek, and finally around the eye. Again, I haven’t used it and that’s just my personal opinion, but I think it’s a great idea.

An easy way to get multiple colors is using clays. You just have to watch what other ingredients they have added to the clays for marketing and which ones your skin may be sensitive to. Basically, think of what you have around the house and try these powders, etc. on a small semi sensitive area (your wrist) and see how you react or like it.

You may be able to find them in a natural foods store that has a vitamin/mineral section. Vitamin stores will often have the activated charcoal. Both can be bought online.
I am not an expert so look into this for yourself as well, but since these are not being used for medicinal purposes, I would not worry about any expiration date. Make small quantities of makeup at a time and keep your larger ingredient containers sealed and sterile. Old mixed makeup should be thrown away because bacteria from many uses can grow or build up over time, just as with conventional makeup.
I hope this helps.

Wow, I was just sitting thinking how I could make my own make up and went on your website- thank you so much for sharing!!I would also like to know where to purchase mica and activate charcoal? Craft stores? Natural grocery stores?Do any of the mixtures go bad or expire?

I haven’t had anything go bad. The more oils you use, like olive, sweet almond, etc., the more you may have oxidation. That is why I recommend using vitamin e oil or rosemary essential oil when using those oils.
You can buy activated charcoal in vitamin stores (in capsule form). This is the finest that you will find. Other sources may have it more course where you will need to use a mortar and pestal before using in a soap or makeup recipe (but it’s cheaper).

Which ones were you having difficulties with? I love to use the cocoa, or a combination of cocoa and cinnamon and it goes on beautifully. I think, just as well as the store bought colors I would buy. Make sure your face is clean and dry.

hhhmm, two ideas. Make sure you’re oil free before putting the eye shadow on (so make sure your oils are fully absorbed first). Add a neutral powder before the color to absorb any excess oil. You can slightly wet your eye shadow as well to help set it. Let it dry well before doing anything else with your eyes. Hope that helps.

How do you get the blush to stay on. I mixed arrowroot powder with beet root powder and it all ended up in my hairline!!! The same for the eyeshadow I made with spirulina and arrowroot powder. Any hints would be appreciated.

Hey! I found recipes for home made make up on other sites on the internet and here I saw a strange thing: Nothing is mentioned about shea butter or other oily ingredients to mix the powders with… do you just put these powders on your eyelids and that’s all? Or have I missed something?

You haven’t missed anything. We try to keep things simple. These are ingredients you can use to make color combinations of you choice in loose powder form. Apply with a brush or clean finger. They combine with the moisture already on your skin and stay wonderfully.

This is so interesting….is this how people long ago made their beauty products, do you think?
I have a couple questions, Kelly. What do you use for mascara? If you do have a mascara, how do you clean it off the eye area without getting the cleansing agent in the eyes? I’ve noticed some of your other recipes for facial cleansers, and wonder about getting these products close to or in the eyes. Thanks!